From Backend to AI: How I Secured US Remote Roles with 300% Stipend Hikes as a Generalist Developer

Career
AI
Development
March 20, 2024

After grinding through my KoinX internship, I managed to land two remote US-based positions with massive stipend increases. I transformed from a pure backend dev into an AI engineer by marketing myself as a “high-agency generalist” who could adapt to any tech.

Breaking Into US Tech: The Tunable Labs Opportunity

While hustling at KoinX, I spotted a LinkedIn post from Tunable Labs looking for a frontend-focused engineer with 3+ years of experience. I had like... none of that. But instead of scrolling past, I saw an opportunity to leverage the AI side projects I'd been building after hours.

The Cold Email Strategy That Actually Worked

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    Showcased my relevant projects: Highlighted the AI agents I'd built in my spare time
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    Proposed something different: Applied specifically for a part-time intern position instead of their advertised role
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    Showed initiative: Used the cold email approach I'd refined through all my previous failures

When The Interview Almost Went Sideways

The interview revealed a major problem: they needed frontend skills while my experience was heavily backend. Rather than giving up, I:

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    Sold my versatility: “My strong fundamentals mean I can pick up new tech stacks fast”
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    Pushed my AI knowledge: Showed how my AI experience aligned perfectly with what they were building
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    Projected confidence: Convinced them I could deliver end-to-end solutions, not just backend code

The AI Revolution Has Changed Everything

Let's be real - we're in a completely different world now. The rise of AI tools has absolutely transformed what it means to be valuable as a developer. The landscape has fundamentally shifted:

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    AI coding assistants are everywhere: Cursor AI, ChatGPT, Claude - these tools can pump out decent code in seconds
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    The bar has been raised dramatically: When AI can handle routine coding tasks, companies expect engineers to deliver much more, much faster
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    Startups don't want specialists anymore: The “I only know backend” or “I'm just a frontend dev” mentality is dead

Lessons For Your Career Journey

  1. Apply to roles you're “not qualified” for: Job descriptions are wishlists, not hard requirements
  2. Propose alternative arrangements: Can't fit the full-time role? Suggest internships or part-time gigs
  3. Build side projects that matter: They demonstrate passion and skills beyond your resume
  4. Share your work publicly: Post on Twitter/LinkedIn/GitHub to get noticed
  5. Master the fundamentals: Strong CS and software design knowledge transfers everywhere

Final Thoughts

My journey from rejected applicant to working alongside IIT grads at US startups proves that traditional paths aren't the only way to succeed in tech. By positioning myself as a versatile problem-solver who consistently delivers beyond expectations, I created opportunities that looked impossible on paper.

The quality that helped me most wasn't genius-level coding skills or a fancy degree—it was my willingness to adapt, learn fast, and tackle challenges way outside my comfort zone. In today's tech landscape, being a high-agency generalist who can solve any problem has been way more valuable than specializing deeply in just one area.